JOHANNESBURG — As tensions escalate ahead of the planned June 30 shutdown regarding immigration, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has firmly rejected the action. Cosatu President Zingiswa Losi emphasized that redirecting legitimate frustrations toward vulnerable foreign nationals ignores government failures and risks dividing the working class, urging citizens to demand lawful enforcement rather than targeting migrants.
The trade federation’s stance was highlighted during an online rally organized by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation on June 27. Operating under the banner “Defend Democracy, Reject the Shutdown,” the event brought together civil society, business, and faith-based organizations. The coalition aims to provide a platform to address the issues raised by the proposed shutdown and to explore alternative approaches to the country’s immigration challenges. Cosatu General Secretary Solly Phetoe also addressed the gathering, reinforcing the federation’s rejection of the June 30 shutdown as an attempt to divide the poor and the working class.
During a broadcast interview, Zingiswa Losi clarified the federation’s position, stating that South Africa is a constitutional democracy where both immigration and labor laws must be respected and fairly enforced. She argued that blaming documented or undocumented foreign nationals leaves the country’s core issues unattended.
Losi expressed empathy for migrant workers, noting that many Africans are forced to leave their homes and communities not by choice, but due to severe “push factors” in their home countries. She cited a lack of democracy, human rights, political tolerance, stability, and economic growth as primary drivers. Conversely, she noted that the “pull factors” drawing them to South Africa are the government’s ongoing interventions to address historical imbalances.
Addressing concerns that the shutdown calls could cross the line from democratic protest into destabilizing violence, Losi reminded the public of Cosatu’s 40-year history of participating in lawful demonstrations. She acknowledged the deep frustrations of South Africans facing a shrinking economic pie, but stressed that protests must remain humane.
“You can still raise the issues. You can still have your marches. But it cannot be that you direct violence toward other vulnerable African brothers and sisters,” Losi stated, adding that historical migration patterns, such as those from Zimbabwe during the Rhodesian era, are deeply intertwined with South Africa’s own identity.
When pressed on the argument that undocumented labor exacerbates South Africa’s fragile job crisis and puts pressure on wages, Losi validated the concerns of unemployed citizens. However, she pivoted to place accountability on employers. She argued that businesses consciously employ undocumented foreign nationals to exploit them, undermine trade union gains, and bypass labor law standards, the national minimum wage, and occupational health and safety regulations.
According to Losi, this practice is a deliberate strategy to divide the working class while avoiding accountability. She noted that employers frequently hide undocumented workers when labor inspectors arrive to evade penalties. Cosatu is therefore calling for a concerted fight against employers who break the law, especially as austerity budget cuts hinder the state’s ability to enforce regulations.
Finally, Losi stressed that the solution requires a broader continental approach. She called on other African states to take responsibility for addressing the fundamental human rights, economic, and political issues that create migration push factors. She argued that the South African government cannot be held solely accountable for the failures of the entire continent, noting that other nations often only respond when their citizens need to be repatriated, rather than proactively improving conditions at home.